


What We Call Love

by pariahsdream



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Gift Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 23:17:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11611005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pariahsdream/pseuds/pariahsdream
Summary: A group of fic bits I did for my budhoboshorts's birthday this year (minus a couple that weren't YOI related).





	1. Glad You're Here (Otabek/Yurio)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hoboshorts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoboshorts/gifts).



He’s not surprised when the text comes through close to one in the morning.

_‘Are you still awake…?’_

_‘I’m here,’_ he sends back, stepping out of the club into crisp air and glances up at the stars. ‘Just got done with a show.’

 _‘Oh’_ Yuri still dislikes the reminder that Otabek can occasionally go places where he can’t. Not yet- Yuri will catch up soon. _‘Go ok?’_  
He feels the corners of his lips curl up, glad for the invitation. Sometimes Yuri just reaches out to him as if to see if he’s there- like a cat that cries until you come seek it out only to ignore you when you come into the room. Sometimes it’s more like this, where he’s maybe lonely or bored. It doesn’t matter to Otabek, he always loves to have any reason for Yuri to pop into his life.

_‘Good yeah. Short set tho, have practice starting soon’_

_‘Me too Lilia is still pissy about the exhib’_

Otabek isn’t surprised by that. He knows how much Yuri’s coaches try to keep him to a strict training regime. A whirlwind routine out of Yuri’s need to be defiant and show he’s not a kid wasn’t in their plan. _‘It was a good routine no matter what they say’_ , he replies, honest and wanting to make certain that Yuri doesn’t forget that part. For all his bravado, Yuri hasn’t been allowed to trust his own instincts and Otabek knows that it’s time. 

_‘Thx’_ is sent and then just as quickly- _‘glad u were there’_

 _‘Me too’_ he replies, breathing in deeply. He’s so glad that Yuri wants his friendship. It feels so strange that it actually happened but he’s not about to let it go.


	2. You're the Best Part of Me (Otabek/Yurio)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These are quite short but hopefully still enjoyable.

No one ever believes that Yuri is easy to get on with. Otabek acknowledges that Yuri can be demanding, high-strung and sometimes even bratty but that’s who he’s been since they first met, so why would he expect him to change simply because they’re dating?

And the truth of the matter is, however Yuri is out in the world, he has other sides to him that Otabek is privileged to see. He’s been there for Yuri when he was afraid and in pain, during his growth spurts and obsessively worried he’d no longer know his own body and never be what he was again. He’s been there for Yuri with delight in his eyes as he dances in the kitchen with his grandfather to old music until he drags Otabek into their silly game. He’s seen Yuri restless and fraught with the nameless worry that comes to them all- what happens after?

Yuri tells him it’s easier with him around. That he’s like an anchor he knows that will always be there. At first Otabek is worried that he’s more like a millstone, dragging him down when he’s so much lighter than he is. Yuri calls him an idiot.

“You’re the best part of me.” He says, as easily as some people say ‘I love you’. “I can do anything because you’re right here, by me where you belong.”

No one might believe it to be so but Otabek knows differently.


	3. Fumbling Towards Something 1/3 (Mickey/Emil)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These next drabbles are meant to be read as one leading to the next.

“I’m sorry, what? I keep getting lost in your eyes.”

Mickey growls under his breath. It doesn’t do any good because Emil is cheerful whether he snarls or not. (Sometimes he suspects that Emil does it on purpose but he can’t figure out why). “I just said, Mama says you have to come home with us for New Year’s.”

Emil’s eyes somehow get even more luminous. It’s actually part of why Mickey can’t seem to stay mad at him- it’s like every small nice thing is the best thing in the world to the Czech. Mickey’s not that much of a jerk, no matter what everyone else says. “So, are you coming or what?” he demands, huffing through his nose. His stomach is tensed for some reason- maybe he needs to stretch.

“Nothing could stop me, Mickey!” Emil declares happily and then throws himself at Mickey thereby ruining all the goodwill he’d inadvertently gained.

***

The New Year’s party goes off well; Mama has her canasta group cackling away through several bottles of prosecco and rounds of gossip. He and Sara aren’t alone with them this time, thankfully. Chris and his fiance have come, as well as Mila and Georgi. And Emil, who received such a greeting from mama that Mickey felt almost jealous.

“Savona is so beautiful,” Emil declares as their group wanders the beach, bottles of wine in hand to watch the fireworks and welcome the new year in. Georgi is being dunked in the water by Mila and Chris is stripping faster than his fiance can follow to pick up his clothing. The air isn’t exactly welcome to such displays but if the Swiss wants to be an idiot, Mickey isn’t going to stop him.

“Mickey! Mickey, don’t you think it’s beautiful?” Emil asks, throwing an arm over his shoulder. He’s warm along his back but that doesn’t account for the warmth in his cheeks.

“You’re beautiful”- the words sneak off his tongue. Mickey’s not sure who’s more surprised- him or Emil. Emil does look very cute that way, wide blue eyes and his mouth dropped open in a soft pout. It may be that Mickey has had too much to drink. His heart is roaring in his his ears but he hears Emil ask him what he’s doing. “I’m flirting with you.”

Emil laughs at him. Laughs! The roaring in his ears gets worse and somehow his stomach ends up around his toes as he whirls to stomp off. Emil- long-limbed bastardo that he is- catches him around the waist and refuses to let him go.

“I’m not laughing at you, Mickey,” he assures, looking earnest and far too thrilled. Mickey could poke his eye out right now. “I’m just happy.”

“Yeah? How come?” he grunts, futilely trying to get Emil’s arms loose. He just tightens him up.

“Because it’s midnight and I can do this,” he replies, dipping his head down and kissing Mickey under the stars and surf and in full sight of his very smug sister.


	4. Fumbling Towards Something 2/3 (Mickey/Emil)

Mickey hadn’t planned on spending his off season this way. Really, he could be doing a lot of other things- catching up with his studies, looking after Sara, making sure that his good-for-nothing papa didn’t skulk around, or even just enjoyed himself at the beach. Instead he’s in Czech, in Emil’s tiny little apartment trying to make it something livable.

He’s ignoring the fact that there’s a growing reason behind this gesture, a reason that’s terrifying and strange and yet feels like flying across the ice too. That feeling is definitely not helpful right now as he mixes the whitewash and eyes the walls. “You sure you washed them thoroughly like I said?” he calls out.

“Yes Mickey,” Emil sings out, his voice carrying easily from the bedroom. The bedroom that Mickey had been sleeping in for a week now. With Emil. (Not sleeping with him but... nearby. Touching even.)

“With the detergent and the warm water like mama said?” He badgers. “This won’t work right if you didn’t and I’m not doing it again.”

“Yes! I promise,” he replies, just as unflappable as ever. Mickey loathes that about him except he doesn’t because there’s no one else in his life that’s as easy and steady. Mama is always putting her nose into everyone’s business, Sara was pulling away from him and always telling him that she needs her own life. But Emil isn’t like that. He’s easy and kind and--

A crash from the other room makes Mickey drop everything and dart into the bedroom. Emil’s long body is half on the bed and half on the floor, his bucket of soapy water emptied on his chest and everywhere else.

“Idiota!” Mickey can’t help but yell, his heart hammering in his chest. He stomps across the room, yanking the bucket away and pulling Emil to his feet. Even as he looms over the Italian, Mickey is checking for damages, fingers anxiously stroking over damp skin. Warm, damp skin that’s almost a tease beneath the wet fabric and--

“I may be an idiot, but I’m your idiot,” Emil’s voice would be sultry from anyone else.

Mickey hits him with the bucket anyway.


	5. Fumbling Towards Something 3/3 (Mickey/Emil)

He never thought- he just didn’t think this would happen. Emil had always-- he’d always laughed off Mickey’s temper. He’d never put stock in his growls or his elbows in his ribs. So why now--

It slams hard into Mickey’s chest. He’s always expected this to be like it is- Emil at his side, teasing, encouraging and coaxing in turn. Like he knows Mickey needs it... needs him. He _needs_ him.

A part of him wants to rail against the revelation. He wants to say he never wanted this, that it’s all Emil’s fault that he feels this way and it’s not going to happen anymore. That’s the part that terrifies him more than loving another boy.

He’s running through the rink, shoving past people in a blur, heart hammering in his chest. He’s not going to let this stay the same. That’s what was hurting them, right? To be stuck like this. 

The world outside of the rink is painfully bright and he can’t see well yet he knows that lanky shadow is the one he wants. Mickey tackles Emil, tangling them in a pile on hard concrete with smarting palms and screaming knees. Emil looks wary, like he never is. He looks like he can’t stand to hear one more thing- so Mickey has to make it count.

“When I picture myself happy… It’s with you.”


	6. Do I Stay Or Do I Go (Chris/Attractive BF)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Chris' boyfriend doesn't have a name yet officially, he gets the stand-in RP one. Because reasons.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Elliot isn’t sure he’s the right man for Chris. He wants to be- more than anything else he can remember since the first time he went out on the ice. He wants to be -- well, whatever Chris needs. But what he thinks Chris needs and what Chris thinks he needs are two different things. Elliot thinks he needs someone to be firm. 

Chris had been amused at that the first time Elliot had tried to say as much- his brilliant eyes wicked in their suggestions. And his mouth? Oh his mouth had been worse. Elliot was a grown man (older than even the blond) and Chris still made him feel like a boy. Maybe that was part of his charm? Elliot had been so serious; Chris used to tease him so when their paths crossed. Told him that skating was the best thing in the world so why look so unhappy?

He hadn’t thought much about it because what did he care about a child’s views? He had been one of the best ice dancers in the world. But Chris had been right even back then, all cherub cheeks and beautifully innocent. There’s a part of him that still innocent even if no one believes him when he says so.

They don’t see Chris first thing in the morning, the sunlight warming up his smooth skin. They don’t see him with his glasses slipping down his nose as he reads through a novel, his precious Mushi draped over his chest as if there was nothing more magical than what was right in front of him. Elliot has accompanied him to cities over and over again and Chris still retains his joy in exploring them- sometimes to places that give Elliot concern for their safety. But isn’t that part of why he loves him? How adventure is right there, with his hand held out and a laugh on his lips?

“If you want me to leave,” He says quietly. “I’m not sure I can. Not knowing how beautiful you’re going to be next year. And the year after. And all the years after that. Please don’t ask me to.”


End file.
